Rack.



J. S. SNETHEN.

RACK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY-9, 1913.

v 1,124,822 Patented Jan. 12,19 5.

" (fame; \i JneZ/zem JAMES S. $NETHEN, F ACME, WASHINGTON.

BACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May a, 1913. Serial no. 766,613.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs S. SNETHEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Acme, in the county of \Vhatcom and State of Washington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Racks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to racks and more particularly to combined display and dispensing racks.

Heretofore when using that type of rack which employed spring rollers for holding the goods the spring shaft had to be re moved from its bearings in order to unwind a sufficient quantity of the goods for sale. This was done so as to prevent the Winding of the spring to such a degree that it would be liable to break.

It is the object of the invention to avoid these difficulties and broadly speaking the invention consists in providing a rack with a plurality of spring rollers, each having means to prevent the spring shaft from rotating, which means is so arranged that it may be thrown to inoperative position whereby the spring shaft may rotate freely with the roller.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this application, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation on an enlarged scale showing the spring shaft catch in inoperative position. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the end of the spring roller showing a modified form. Fig. 5 is a detail end elevation on an enlarged scale showing the application of the roller illustrated in Fig. 4c.

The racks shown in the present invention are generally mounted in suitable number in a casing and arranged so that they may be thrown into display position whereby the goods thereon may be properly exhibited, but as this arrangement forms no part of this invention I have only shown the rack itself and its associated rollers. The rack may be of any suitable construction, the preferred embodiment, however, consisting of suitable side bars 1 and 2 which are connected together in any suitable man ner and which have mounted between them the spring rollers 3. The side bar 2 is apertured, as shown at 1, to receive the pivoting pintles 5 of the rollers 1 while the side bar 1 is provided with apertures 6 to receive the spring shaft 7 of said rollers, the apertures 6 being of a suflicient diameter or size to permit the rotation of the spring shaft with the roller when desired.

Pivoted to the side bar 1 above each aperture 6 are a plurality of looking dogs 8 having right-angular slots 9 adapted to receive the rectangular ends of the spring shaft 7. These dogs are so pivoted upon the side bar 1 that they may be thrown into or out of engagement with the squared end of the shaft 7 and preferably frictionally engage the side bar so that they will be held in either operative or inoperative position against accidental displacement.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the spring shaft 7 of the roller is provided with a circular head 10 having a radial slot 11 therein and adapted to receive the down-turned end of the pivoted locking dog 12. The head is journaled to rotate in the recess 6 and rotates freely with the roller when the dog 12 is released from the slot or notch 111 When the dog is in position as shown the shaft will be held stationary and the spring will be tensioned when the goods are unwound therefrom.

What is claimed is A display rack including a frame having spaced up-rights, shafts journaled on the up-rights, spring wound rollers rotatably mounted on the shafts, hooks pivoted on the inner surface of one of the up-rights and interposed between the adjacent shafts, each of the said hooks being adapted in one position to engage the adjacent shaft and lock the same so as to permit the roller to rotate independently of the shaft, and in another position to unlock the shaft to permit of the rotation. of the shaft with the roller.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES S. SNETHEN.

Witnesses:

ANGUs M. HOFFMAN, GEORGE T. HOFFMAN.

Copies of this patent may be'obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915. 

